hi, i just saw this post... did you get the laptop? i have the X501A and have it dual-booted with Windows 8 and Mint 14 Mate. i can say it has been great, pretty much everything in Mint works right out of the box: wifi, ethernet, touchpad, sound, etc. i really love the machine too, expecially for the price!

if i had one thing i didn't like so much, it would have to be the Elantech touchpad... it is my first one that doesn't have separate right and left buttons, but is instead more like one big pad. Of course the lower left and right corners do function as left and right buttons, and all that does work in Mint 14. But somehow it is taking some geting used to, and perhaps the overall sensitivty and ease of use is a tad lower in Mint then in Windows. but actually i think i am getting used to it, and it is definitely useable.

i don;t know if you will see this post, haha, but i hope this might help some.